I am a docent at the mansion and have given tours there on Thursday afternoons for the past 29 years. On March 13 of this year, I was told the third floor was no longer open for viewing because of the water damage.

Tourists coming to the executive mansion no longer are able to see such historical items as the Lincoln furniture given to them when he was elected president, the suite of 19 pieces of hand-carved furniture done by William Bartels in the years 1880-1890, the first Gov. Richard Yates’ (1861-1865) bedroom furniture and the furniture especially made for Steven A. Douglas because of his short stature.

I feel badly that I can no longer take people to the third floor, which is my favorite. All I can say to the state legislature is shame on you for letting your executive mansion fall into such a state of disrepair. Shame, shame on you.